Ridge Holds Briefing at 3:30 EST

Fox Cable News | 12/29/2003 | FNC

[Semper Paratus]

Sec. Ridge will hold a briefing at 3:30 PM EST.
Nothing follows.

[NittanyLion]

If the right thing to do is to turn control over to the UN, and make nice with the ones who want to kill all of us off, then by all means, applaud and hug every Democrat you encounter.

Fact of the matter is that I disagree with 99% of Democrats' statements. I disagree with [say] 30% of Republicans' statements. And I make it a habit to call each party on it when I disagree. I wish all Democrats and Republicans would do the same for their respective party; the nation might be in better shape if they did.

[bcoffey]

No doubt her heinous is practicing her eye rolling for this year's State of the Union address.

Perfect video footage for a Republican ad if she runs in 2008.

[Mulder]

democrats care more for power than they care for this country. They are treasonous in my mind

The Republicans have increased the power of the gov't more than the democrats did under Klinton.

Does that make them traitors also?

Speaking of "treason" by the democrats, there are only two people in this country that can bring them up on criminal charges. Those two people are Bush and Ashcroft.

Since they haven't charged ANY of them with treason, does that mean they are incompetent?

Or since you believe our government is so "competent", does it simply make them "accessories after the fact"?

What Hill did in Iraq was treason.

Your heros in DC don't seen to think so. Are they less competent than you are?

[BigSkyFreeper]

Well, if the Democrats did to Ted Kennedy what the Republicans did to Bill Janklow, and what Bill Clinton did as opposed to what GWB is trying to do, then I would say both sides are even.

[ExSoldier]

I'd have to agree with you on nearly every point, but as I recall, Richard (shoe bomber) Reid, fought his way nearly to the cockpit and it was taking a lot of guys (I think in excess of ten folks were on him at one point) and at the cockpit door an armed pilot with an armed co-pilot backing him, could have strolled out the door, popped him in the forehead with a prefrangible .45 slug and strolled back inside the cockpit.

But that's quibbling and overall, I'd have to agree with your assessments. If pilots want to carry on their person in the cockpit they should be able to do so. Most of 'em are former military anyway, so it's not like they don't have the training already. Although a lot of folks seem to be clamoring the opposite, cockpit defense is nothing more than mugger control, given the range and available room. It's not something that requires special operations training!

[cajungirl]

The peculiar thing is that I think Hill is a hawk. I think she geniunely supports the war. Heck, I think she would love having boots and a gun etc. She just is saying she could do the war better. She is at heart fascist.

[BigSkyFreeper]

"The Republicans have increased the power of the gov't more than the democrats did under Klinton." I don't see any increase in the size of government. DHS is just the central authority to departments that have been in place for years. DHS was created for a purpose, beyond "increasing the size of government". The "increased government" is just a myopic and partisan view of government.

Let's not forget Clinton downsized the military, and gutted the intelligence community.

[RightWhale]

Seems hardcore Dems actually like war. You see them agitating to attack N Kor. They approved the Iraq war even though it wasn't theirs. How war squares with Liberal is a mystery.

[bcoffey]

She is at heart fascist.

A narcissist fascist at that.

[Mulder]

What issues does he have with Ridge?

He's an anti-gun buearacratic control freak.

What specifically about the Patriot Act concern him?

Section 802 defines terrorism as anything that endagers human life and is a violation of law, so now speeding qualifies as "terrorism" under the law.

The sneak and peak provisions, expanded power of gov't to get information without a warrant, reduced accountability to Congress, etc....

Nat Hentoff and James Bovard have written far more detailed and damning books about the Patriot Act.

Has there been any activity which has supported his concern?

Well, the feds said they would use the Act for only "terrorism" but have since used it for other non-terrorism cases. 3 States and over 200 cities (actually I think it's more like 400) are so concerned that they've passed resolutions against it.

Securing borders? Great idea. How? How much will it cost? Who will do it? What time frame?

Why does it matter? Cost is no barrier to this adminstration.

It would certainly cost less than a new prescription drug benefit, or funding the United Nations, or new spending on federal education.

[Mo1]

I see. So during wartime, the government should not be questioned. That's your position.

I don't recall cajungirl saying that questions couldn't be asked ..

I could be wrong .. but I think she was referring to all the pissing, moaning and harping going on

Reality is .. we are at war

Reality is .. we have to give the government some leeway to fight this war

Reality is .. we can't be like Jimmy Carter with wish these attacks won't happen again

But hey if you don't want to live with reality .. we always go back to the Church Committee Rules

No one is saying to not keep an eye on what's going on or that questions can't be asked

We are just saying .. SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE ON THIS WAR ON TERROR

[BigSkyFreeper]

The only reason she supported the war was for political expedience. Supporting the war and voting against the $87 billion dollar request for military support and rebuilding what Saddam tore down was rather suspect.

[Ingtar]

My problems with the Patriot Act are not problems with how it is used now, per se. It is not paranoia about Bush or Ashcroft using it to take over America. It comes from some recent history, and a fear of the American Judicial system as set up currently.

A few years ago, there were a couple of incidents where pro-life advocates went over the line. They bombed clinics and shot (at) abortion Doctors. Even though it did not contribute to the illegal acts, the act of protesting near a clinic was taken away. The pro-life movement was labelled as terrorist. They were stripped of First Amendment rights to even peacefully protest something they thought of as morally wrong.

What happens when the Socialists gain nominal, instead of effective, control over the government? Will the Patriot Act be applied to pro-life groups? And, "since those pro-lifers are all religious nuts," shouldn't they also be watched? And what about those scary, Right-wing militias? Aren't they dangerous?

Just remember, the EPA, as instituted by Nixon, was not a large problem when it first began.

I think back to what has been done in the name of winning a war to rights in the past. I think that one of our strengths in that past was a more limited government. Now that so much of the population here is dependent upon the government teat, they will not complain if their rights are trampled, as long as they can continue to suckle.

While I would have to say that the Patriot Act in and of itself is a good weapon in this war, I worry about what will happen with it when less scrupulous administrations begin pushing and stretching it's power. Can you imagine what Clinton would have done with it to Free Republic in the 2000 election or after OKC if it had been on the books then?

[bcoffey]

Well said, Mo!

[Labyrinthos]

Perhaps the cabin crew should be allowed to carry, but then, that might create a whole new set of problems. Between serving coffee and tea and fetching pillows and blankets, the enemy could strip the crew member of his or her weapon.

[Mulder]

I don't see any increase in the size of government

LOL! Look at the budgets. Biggest growth in gov't since LBJ. Even not counting Homeland Security and defense, the gov't has grown faster than under Klinton.

Let's not forget Clinton downsized the military, and gutted the intelligence community.

Let's also not forget that Bush started the downsizing after the Gulf War.

BTW, I'm still waiting for the "peace dividend" from all that downsizing that they promised us.

[cajungirl]

I'll add narcissist and raise you a psychopath.

[null and void]

She just is saying she could do the war better. She is at heart fascist.

Lord Hildamort has a heart?

[Mo1]

Lord Hildamort has a heart?

She has a heart .. but she has no soul

There is a difference

[bcoffey]

I'll add narcissist and raise you a psychopath.

As Emma Peel would have said, "A diabolical mastermind."